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Beauty and Inspiration

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Spa Night: Peppermint Foot Scrub & Cucumber Water Review 6/03/2010

Tonight's homemade spa recipe is for a Peppermint Foot Scrub! Click here to read some of the great things peppermint oil can do for your health. I love using essential oils and peppermint is one of my favorite in home spa treatments. Personally, peppermint oil has been wonderful applied at the temples and between the eyes to treat a migraine. That and a firm massage to the center of the hairline along the neck can make a migraine manageable. My SIL asked me for a spa treatment recipe and I thought I'd share it here since it's perfectly suited for the sweltering heat. Hobby Lobby carries all sorts of essential oils for about $6 each. Next time you're at the store, pick up the ingredients and enjoy a refreshing foot scrub that feels great on hot summer feet!

This recipe makes enough to fill eight 8 oz jars, so make ahead for yourself to enjoy all summer long, or give them out for a girl's day, hostess gift, or to your guests at your summer barbeque. One of the best things about this scrub is the peppermint oil makes it tingle :) Aaahhhh.....

Cucumber Water Review
I wrote last Spa Night, how I wanted to try Cucumber Water and when I went to the grocery store this week, I just had to grab a few cucumbers for the recipe. Here's a tutorial in photos and review:

Peel and chop up 1 whole cucumber. I sliced it into pieces that would fit into the jug I was using.

Add cucumber to regular water with lemon juice.
I know in home therapy lemon juice in small quantities can be substituted for vinegar, so I didn't pick up lemons because I had vinegar. A few drops of white vinegar went into the mix. You just need the acidity to help the cucumber juice extraction along.

I used peppermint oil instead of fresh mint, mainly because there was none to be found when I went shopping.
So, here's where I messed up. I know 2 to 3 drops of peppermint oil in an 8 oz glass of water will settle a gassy/upset stomach. So, I figured 10 drops to 3/4 gallons of water would be fine, right? Wrong!

Let your cucumber water sit covered in the fridge for 24 hours. After that, you can either remove the cucumber pieces or keep them in. I left mine. Serve in tall glasses garnished with a fresh slice of cucumber.

REVIEW: Whoa! Hubby avoids this stuff like poison after his initial taste. And once I tasted it, I understood. 10 drops of peppermint oil was way too much. It was like drinking vapor rub that cleared your sinuses and maybe singed a few taste buds. But, that isn't the recipe's fault. I apparently need to experiment some more to find the right balance. So, I'm still drinking the peppermint water as Hubby calls it, just watered down. A lot. I will put about half an inch of the cucumber water in a glass and fill it the rest of the way with plain water. Then it's drinkable and quite refreshing, but that doesn't stop Hubby from fondly calling me 'Pepomint breath' every time he kisses me. So, I guess, all in all, the recipe went well, and having it so concentrated will make it last a long time :). And hey, pepomint breath is better than halitosis any day.

Don't forget to make time for yourself this week. You'll be able to complete projects or take care of your family with a much happier heart. Happy pampering!